Some cable television systems in the past have used exclusively electrical coaxial cables to distribute TV signals from a headend to a plurality of individual subscribers. A main distribution coaxial cable extended along a route, and a series of taps were connected to the main distribution cable along the route. One or more coaxial drop cables extended outwardly from the taps to the individual subscribers.
Fiber optic cables are widely used for transmitting telecommunications signals over relatively long distances, and at higher data rates than electrical cables, such as coaxial cables. Fiber optic cables also offer immunity to lightning and other potential electrical faults along the route. A typical fiber optic cable includes a plurality of individual optical fibers contained within a protective sheath. Fiber optic cables are now commonly used in hybrid fiber/coax systems where the main, or trunk, cable is provided by an optical fiber cable.
Newer cable television systems are employing fiber optic cables throughout and are sometimes referred to as “fiber-in-the-loop” (FITL) systems. In other words, even the drop cables that extend to the individual subscribers are provided by optical fiber cables in an FITL system. Unfortunately, one drawback of a conventional FITL system is that the main distribution cable must be entered, the fibers accessed, spliced/interconnected and stored within a splice enclosure, and the entire assembly protected at each drop location along the route. This results in relatively high labor costs and material costs for the drop locations.
In addition, the splice enclosure is opened each time an additional subscriber is added to the system. This exposes the components to the risk of accidental damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,035 B1 to Mahony discloses a fiber optic network for connecting subscribers to a central office of the telephone service provider. The network includes a so-called “splitter-terminal apparatus” for connecting a plurality of drop cables to a secondary cable that, in turn, is connected to the primary cable. The splitter-terminal apparatus includes a housing, a splitter, and a plurality of connectorized terminations. Unfortunately, each tap is connected to the secondary cable at a conventional splice enclosure.